Pool and billiard table



July V, W3 I J. ABBOTT ET AL ZM Z KW} POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE Filed Nov. 3, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l wwms July 7', 1936. J. ABBOTT ET AL POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE Filed NOY. 3, 1934 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE POOL AND B-ILLIARD TABLE Application November 3, 193.4, Serial No. 751,286

In, Canada February; 12, 1934 7 Claims. (Cl. 27311) Our invention relates to. improvements in game tables, and more particularly return ball systems for tables of a character normallyproviding pockets into which balls are driven.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide an improved return ball system for game tables, particularly pool and billiard tables and the like providing a playing surface and discharge outlets through which balls are to be driven. Said system embodies provision of an inclined runway located below the level of the table playing surface and aligned relative to the table outlets to receive balls discharged therefrom, said runway having discharge outlets, which, in the present design, are shown conveniently located at one end of the table.

The system further provides a series of collectively operated stops interposed in the path of travel of balls discharged on to the runway, by which said balls may be initially held grouped in relation to the pocket from which they were discharged, and subsequently released, if required, for concentration at the runway outlets. The saidstops may,,however, be rendered inoperative where the nature of the game played, such as English billiards and straight pool, renders it desirable to concentrate the balls at the runway outlets as they are pocketed to: be re-spotted, separatelyoperable stops "at the outlets being provided for concentration of the balls.

We further provide an improved pocket adapted tov effectively discharge balls onto the runway or the return syste as. the same are pocketed, eliminating the pil ng upo'f balls inxthe' pockets and interference with: the balls still in play and reducingwear of the pocket and cloth of the table.

There is also provided an adjustable mounting for the pocket; adapted for use in: relation to either a side or corneroutlet. of the table; and fingers curved to directa ball from the pocket on to. the runway and impart an initial impetus to Fig. is a m ntary p rsp c ive View Of a sa table n ch, ou return system and im-..- proved noch tsar s own ins alle Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner section of the system embodying more clearly certain improvements indicated in Figure 1.

Fig. 3, is a detail fragmentary side elevation showing a section of table and attached corner 5 pocket and certain fragments in detail of the return system.

Fig. 4 shows a section of table guide rail with side view of a hanger for the return system.

Fig. 5 shows a detail side view of a system hanger together with an outlet ball stop.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a hanger with attached hanger section forming the coupling for meeting ends of runway sections.

Having reference to the drawings l indicates a; bed or playing surface of a game table of a character used for billiards and similar games,

2; and 3 indicate respectively side and end rails of the table and 4 the supporting legs. Intermediately shown in the side rail 2 is the custom- 2o ary table side outlet 5, corner outlets being shown at 6 and 1-, it being understood that a complete 5. 1; of such side and corner outlets as normally provided in tables of this character, would be allowed forin the system.

The return ball system for the table provides a runway suspended from the table along both sides and the lower end, suitable collecting outlets being provided in said lower end, the runway being sufficiently inclined to gravitate balls to said outlets. For suspension of the runway there are provided, at intervals around the table, hangersv 8, the end hangers in the accompanying illustration, more particularly Figure 1, being further designated by appended numbers and designated 8' and 8 Eachof said hangers includes an integral transverse plate 9 at the upper end by which the hanger may be secured by machine screws ID to the plate II which would be affixed to the under surface of the table by wood screws. (See particularly Figure 4). The hangers further include intermediate or shank sections 12 twisted to project theha'nger proper in right angular relationship to the plate 9.

The hangers further include arcuate sections it in which recesses l4, l5, l6, and I! (Figures 4 and: 5) are provided for reception of a series of parallel spaced rods l4, l5, l6 and I1. Said recesses are of semi-circular formation and serve forseating the rods therein with a portion of said rods projecting sufficiently above the bracket sections to provide a runway for travel of balls without interference.

Said series of rods forms a runway for travel of the balls, the rods I5 and I6 providing a track and the rods l4 and IT guides for directing the balls along said track. Said runway passes along the sides and one end of the table substantially aligned below the pocket outlets by which balls discharged or driven through said outlets may be collected at a common point, or points in the runway, or discharged from the runway outlets into a suitable receptacle, said runway outlets being preferably located, as herein illustrated, at one end of the table.

To meet requirements of certain games in which it is desirable to hold the balls at the pockets from which they were discharged, a system of stops is provided collectively operable from a point adjacent the outlet from the runways. Such system includes side and end rods as respectively indicated at l8 and I9, said rods being mounted rotatable in suitable openings through the hangers 8, including the hangers designated as 8 and 8 The connecting ends of said rods are bent as indicated at 28, such bent portions being in crossed relation by which the rods may be moved in unison, it being understood that the system extends along both sides and the lower end of the table and is completely movable in unison.

At intervals on the rods l8 and I9, including such rod as corresponds to the rod l8 provided to complete the system, are stops each of which comprises a thimble 2| secured to one of said rods by a set screw 22, said thimble having an integral finger 23 laterally projecting therefrom so as to be movable into the path of travel of balls passing along the return system runway.

Said stops are located relative to pocket outlets whereby balls discharged therefrom may be held on the runway adjacent the particular outlet discharged from.

The rod system formed by the rods l8 and I9 further provides, suitably disposed as may be required, thimbles of a character indicated at 24, secured to said rods, said thimbles each having a hook member 25 to which a spring 26 is attached, said spring being secured to a sui able bracket 27 attached to the under side of the table guide rail. Preferably two or more such arrangements are provided, as least one on either side of the table. The springs 26 are tensioned to normally hold the rods [8 and IS, with the stop fingers 23 in the path of travel of balls in the runway.

The rod l9 has secured thereto an operating arm or lever 28 with hand grip 29 by which said rod may be turned to impart a corresponding turning movement to the rods which combine to form the stop system, whereby the fingers 23 may be raised out of the path of travel of balls in the runway.

As a guide and locking arrangement for the lever 28 there is provided a transverse bar 30 secured to the hangers 8' and 8 Said bar 30 includes an intermediate bent portion 3|. To the bar 30 further attaches a bent section 32 in opposing relationship to the bent portion 3| and combining therewith to form a guideway for said lever 28 in which said lever may be held to position the rods l8 and IS with the stops thereon located in or out of the path of travel of balls in the runway.

Additional to the stop system there are provided at the outlets from the runway separately operable stops 33 and 34 of a character similar to the stops formed by the thimbles 2| and fingers 23 but mounted loose on the rod Hi to be individually moved into the path of travel of balls on the runway. Said stop serves to prevent discharge from the runway when the lever controlled stop is inoperative except where such discharge is desired.

A bracket 35 secured to the table provides a hanger for a basket 36 into which balls may be collected from the runway.

In conjunction with our improved return system we provide an improved pocket and mounting adapted to more efiectively direct balls driven through table outlets and discharge said balls on the return runway system. Said pocket offers a further advantage by being adjustable and adaptable for use on tables with different styles of pocket, outlets.

Said pocket includes a mounting comprising a. plate 31 secured upon the transverse section 9 of the bracket 8 by the screw it. Said plate is adjustable laterally by the screw l being received in an elongated opening H1 in the plate 31 whereby lateral adjustment of the pocket is permitted. (See Fig. 2). Said plate 31 carries a collar 43 adapted for reception of a tapered pocket 4| of leather or other suitable material, said pocket being disposed in an outlet of the table.

The collar 40 carries companion spaced trailing fingers 42--42 which are curved to direct a ball from the pocket on to the system runway. Said fingers have their lower ends secured to a bracket 43 carried by the runway system.

The formation and inclination of the trailing fingers must necessarily vary for the different pockets. Said fingers may include a relatively fiat upper section, as indicated at 44, to receive and control the ball as initially discharged from the pocket, and an inclined section 45 which imparts the necessary momentum to the ball to carry it to the system outlet at a desirable rate of speed. Such inclination must necessarily vary according to the distance the ball has to travel and the inclination of the runway system as a whole.

The rods l4, l, l6 and IT, as well as the fingers 4242 and stops 23, 33, and 34, are preferably covered with a protective sheath of cushioning material as is well known in the art. In Figure 3 such aprotective sheath is indicated at 46, and in Figure 4 a finger is shown sheathed by the numeral 46.

For convenience in assembling and dismantling a table to which the return ball system is attached a special coupling is provided for the runway. (See Fig. 6.) The rods l4, l5, I6 and I7 are formed in sections, separately suspended from table sections. The meeting ends of such rods may be connected by having one section of rods secured to a hanger 8 and the opposing ends secured to an auxiliary arcuate section 41, the auxiliary section being then bolted or similarly detachably secured to the hanger. In this way the table can be dismantled without the necessity for removing the return ball system.

The rods |8 would also consist of related sections coupled by couplers 49 secured by screws 5lJ-5D to the rod sections. (See particularly Figure 2.) Rods 5| and 52 act as brace members for the runway and associated parts when the apparatus is knocked down as for shipment.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of our invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to us by the following claims:

What we claim is:

1. In a return ball system for game tables of a character providing pockets and balls to be driven therein, said system including runways suspended to receive balls discharged from table pockets, spaced fingers secured to the pockets, said fingers including upper relatively fiat sections located in the immediate path of travel of balls discharging from the pockets and inclined sections communicating between the upper sections and the runways.

2. In a return ball system for game tables of a character providing pockets and balls to be driven therein, said system including runways suspended to receive balls discharged from the table pockets, spaced fingers for directing balls discharged from the pockets on to the system runways, the upper ends of said fingers being secured to the pocket mountings and brackets in therunways for attachment of the lower ends of said fingers.

3. In a return ball system for game tables of a character providing pockets and balls to be driven therein, runways adapted to receive balls discharged from said pockets, and a stop system adapted to hold balls on the runways in relation to the pocket discharged from, said stop system comprising rods on either side of the table loosely carried by the runways, a further rod carried by the runways at one end of the table, the end and side rodsmeeting and the meeting ends of said rods being bent and arranged to overlap whereby they are constrained to move in one direction in unison, stops on said rods, spring means normally holding the side rods with the stops thereon disposed in the path of balls in the runways, and a lever for manipulation of the end rod.

4.'In a game table providing a playing surface with guard rails and outlets in said rails through which balls are driven, pockets for said outlets including supporting collars and means for suspension of said collars from the table rails, said means being horizontally adjustable,

return ball runways suspended from the table, 5

and parallel fingers forming a path for travel of the balls between the pockets and runways, said fingers being secured to said collars and runways.

5. A return ball system for game tables of a character providing pockets and balls to be driven therein, said system including runways suspended to receive balls discharged from said pockets, said runways comprising a series of hangers at intervals around the table with parallel related rod sections carried thereby to form a track and couplings for said sections, each of said couplings being formed by one end of a rod section being secured to a hanger, and the other end to an arcuate hanger section, and means for detachably securing said hanger section to the hanger.

6. A stop system for use with return ball attachments on game tables, said attachments including runways for travel of balls therein, and said system comprising side rods and an end rod loosely carried by the runways, meeting ends of said rods being related whereby the rods are movable in unison, a series of ball stop fingers rigidly secured to said rods, spring means normally holding the side rods with said fingers disposed in the path of travel of balls in the runways, and a lever for manipulation of the end rod.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein the runways terminate at the end of the table and said system includes fingers loosely carried by the end rod at the termination of the runways, said fingers being separately movable into the path of travel of balls in the runways.

JOSEPH ABBOTT. CORNELIUS WILLIAM FAST. THOMAS J. ABBO'I'I. 

